I'm so used to the skins and layout of AVEN and the IPBoard stuffs that I'm still finding my way around phpbb and the like. My fave color is blue, so the current theme and layout are just fine for me. Though, I was thinking... if any of it could be customizeable, maybe it would be worth changing things up so people could see that the site is thriving despite the current low traffic. I'm not too familiar on tech, here, so I really couldn't throw out too many suggestions about it, but it's an idea, nonetheless.

The most recent announcement that comes up when accessing the Portal is from 2011. Seeing as 2012 is already halfway through, maybe adding something new would be of benefit? More coverage of Worldpride events or.... some advice for asexuals out there to get in touch with their LGTBQetc. organizations? I know it sounds like stuff AVEN's Project Team does, but I don't think that sort of information is exclusive to AVEN or its Project Team. The more the merrier, right?

I also know that people are connecting to Asexual communities on Facebook, which would be a good way to get the word out, or at least get an idea of what people really want to discuss (after the 101). And there are Youtube channels, podcasts, tumblr (though, honestly, that can be just as drama-filled as AVEN -- or more!)...

Well, I figured I would throw those ideas out there. :3 I'm really glad you all are keeping Apositive around for the rest of us! I know you're the ones paying out of pocket, and that people really do appreciate it (myself included). Uhh.. Do we pass cake around, or is that just an AVEN thing? *offers various baked goods and/or signature drinks*

When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.―A.A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh

I think a new skin would be good, though I don't know anything relating to how to make one. I am used to assuming that this type of coloring and layout is a default that a forum has when it's first created, though, so it looks a little half finished to me the way it is. So new colors or layout would be good, even if it is just a darker blue replacing the current one, or something like that.

I actually couldn't find any asexual communities on facebook, but then I don't spend much time on facebook and don't necessarily know how or where to look....

For cake... I've kind of gotten the impression that AVEN things and asexual things are the same, so... I guess? Though I personally like brownies and strawberries better, cake can be a little dry by itself....

And, this would probably require more people being here, but why not have contests of some kind? Like, 'write a short story with an asexual main character,' or... prettymuch any relevant theme. I'm coming up with writing examples because I'm a writer, but I'm sure it could be expanded to other media too. 'Draw an icon/image/logo for Apositive,' maybe?

When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.―A.A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh

The funny thing is, I made an Apositive logo at one point, and I liked what I had when it was all done. It's around the house here somewhere, probably in a "safe" place .... (O noz! The poor thing is doooomed!) The problem is, I couldn't figure out how to attach it to the site. I wouldn't mind seeing other ideas, though. We could always save them just in case.

I like the idea of contests, at least certain kinds of contests. (Keep it clean - hahaha!) Asexual-related stories would definitely be cool, as well as completely appropriate.

As for the Worldpride thing ... I'm not quite sure about it. I mean only that - I'm just not sure. I'm not against it, but I have mixed feelings about some aspects of the direction that the asexual movement seems to be taking. At one point, I remember AVEN was adamant about not getting involved in politics, and I completely approved of that stance. That has changed, however, because the LGBT-(XYZ) movement is VERY involved in politics, as they realistically must be at this point, and AVEN's alliance with them means that the most visible part of the asexual movement can no longer be seen as politically neutral. This bothers me. Even though my personal political leanings are mostly liberal and I completely support equality for all people, I don't like to feel like my sexual identity should have any connection to my political views. I think that both things should be personal and that they should be independent of each other.So, to see asexuality gradually lose its uniqueness as it becomes more and more publicly affiliated with the LGBT movement is causing me some reservations. I'm still making up my mind on this matter.

For the Worldpride/political thing... well, more reason to support more sites becoming asexual communities, so that AVEN isn't our sole voice. I don't have as much issue with the political aspect, since I've been involved in LGBeTc. stuff since before I even knew asexuality existed, but there are a few other thoughts/attitudes that AVEN seems to encourage which annoy me quite a bit.

I think it's important that there are more places for people to go to, and while I certainly don't have anything against AVEN, I think it's hard for one place to be everything to everyone. Impossible, really, though it seems that they try. Nothing wrong with that of course, but it makes for very complicated messes from time to time. Very indicative of human nature, eh?

At any rate, figuring out how to get the attention of people looking for another asexual space on the web would be a good place to start. What draws people to a site like AVEN? They have history, information (some needing to be updated), and (probably the biggest draw) real-time communication. So many people are wandering to social connectivity/networking sites where they can be "wired in" a bazillion different ways and have multiple ports of access to what's going on. Tech-wise, software is constantly being updated, customized, and made even more user-friendly by the second. Having more knowledge on the tech end of things is always a plus. The discussions, communications between people, debates, articles... people are the data. I think Apos just needs to find a way to lay it out there like a neon sign: Vacancies available! Open for business. ^_^

When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.―A.A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh

Definitely the neon signs. For a few years I thought AVEN was the only asexual community at all; even real life meetups seem to just be branches of AVEN. And this site, I only found through AVEN. How to make those neon signs, though, I don't know....

The trouble (for me) with asexual-related stories, at least those that publicise themselves as such, is that they tend to be extremely boring :-( They consist exclusively of little scenes working up to the all-important 'coming-out' moment when the protagonist gives a stilted little speech regurgitating whatever the writer has read on the Web ("I'm asexual. No, I'm not an amoeba. I don't feel sexual attraction, although I may get romantic feelings..."). Or they are one long titillation leading up to the cuddle scene (the asexual's equivalent of porn). Or they consist of an asexual character generously 'servicing the needs' of a lover (presumably because the writer finds it exciting) - which frankly I don't feel ought to be advertised under the asexual heading at all; although I know a lot of asexuals do actively write porn, a habit which still puzzles me.

Surely the vast majority of stories out there - at least beyond the bounds of fanfiction - ought to be asexual stories, in that sex simply doesn't need to come into them: it's completely irrelevant to the plot. Aromantic stories are probably less common in that people like to add in a bit of 'love-interest' for their main characters. Stories which involve a character's announcing his asexuality have an unfortunate tendency in the nature of things to be sex-obsessed, and I'm really not sure what else you can do with the theme...

I honestly haven't seen asexuality-related stories much, so I can't say for sure, but assuming that what you said is true, isn't that all the more reason to encourage people to write stories that include asexual characters, so that the selection improves? Sure, most of them might not be good, but every once in a while there'll be a great one; why not encourage there to be more?